Photographic-printing machine.



A. F. MUELLER.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINE. I

APPLICATION min NOV. 13, 1915.

1,203,035. I Patented Oct. 31,1916.

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A. F. MUELLER.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 13. 1915.

1,203,035. Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

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ALBERT F. MUELLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IPHOTOGRAPHIC-PRINTIN G MACHINE.

Application filed November 13, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. MUELLER, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic-PrintingMachines, of which the following is a specification, and which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to photographic printing machines, and has for itsobject to provide apparatus to facilitate the making of separate printsfrom a plurality of film negatives when the negatives are connected instrip form, and particularly when prints with a white margin aredesired.

The invention accordingly contemplates the provision of a frame to restupon the film strip, and having members which are adjustable to the sizeof the print and serve for positioning the printing paper over the film.When a white margin is to be obtained flanges are provided to serve as amask for the margins of the paper, and these flanges may be ofadjustable width to permit of the width of the margins being varied.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a central sectional view of aphotographic printing machine embodying the features of improvementprovided .by the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 isa detail plan view, drawn to a larger scale and showing the printingmask or frame; Fig. 1 is an end view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3;Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the parts illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4,with the contact board also shown in elevation and a detail of themachine frame shown in section; and Fig. 6 is a detail sectional viewtaken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

The parts of the machine are conveniently associated with a table 10. Asshown, the top 11 of the table 'is provided with a printing opening 12near its front edge, and this opening has a glass insert A light box14,.hay1ng colored and printmg lamps 15,16, as usual, is secured againstthe under side of the table top' 11 below the opening) 12, the printinglamp 14 being controlled y a switch arm, as 17, which is normally heldin open position, as by a spring 33. The drawings show the switch arm 17pivotally secured against the under side of the light box 14 andprojecting in rear of the same.

In the commercial production of prints Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Serial No. 61,340.

for amateurs, the negatives from roll films are preferably printedseparately while still connected together'in strip form. It is thereforedesirable to provide a means for holding a suitable length of the stripflat upon the glass 13. For this purpose it is proposed to use the metalframe generally designated 18. Thu; frame comprises the rigidlyconnected side and end members 19, 20, 21 and 22, and the adjustablymovable intermediate members 23, 24 and 25, all of which are preferablyflat metal bars.

During the printing operation the frame 18 rests by gravity upon thefihn strip, and four of the side and intermediate members, as 19, 23, 21and 25 of the frame, constitute a holder for positioning a sheet ofprinting paper (not shown) of proper size over the particular section ofthe film strip from which the print is to be made. In order that thefilm strip may be shifted from time to time for bringing differentexposures into register with the opening formed by the said side andintermediate members 19,23,24 and 25, means are provided for lifting theframe 18. Furthermore, as the hands of the operator are required forshifting the film strip,

the lifting of the frame 18 is preferably accomplished by a foot pedal,as 26. As shown, this pedal is pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 27,to a fixed part of the table. WVhen so made the rear end of the pedal 26is adapted to engage the lower end of an upright lifting bar 28. Thisbar slides through an opening 29 in the top 11 of the table, and throughsuitable guides, as 30, 31, secured against the rear side of the lightbox 14:, and has its higher end rigidly connected with the rear sidemember 20 of the frame 18, as at 32 (Fig. 3). The frame 18 isaccordingly lifted by downward pressure upon the front end of the footpedal 26.

To permit a ready adjustment of the apparatus for making prints ofdifferent sizes, the two intermediate members 24, 25, of the frame 18may be operatively connected at both ends for simultaneous movement inopposite directions. As shown, upstanding bracket lugs 34, 35, areformed upon each of the intermediate members 24:, 25, adjacent itsopposite ends, and the corresponding bracket lugs of the two members areengaged with right and left screw threaded shafts 36, 37. A compactconstruction is provided if the intermediate members 24, 25, of theframe 18 extend under the side memhers 19, 20, and each of thelast-mentioned members is provided with a slotted opening 38 forreceiving the corresponding bracket lugs 34 or 35. In this event eachshaft 36, 37, is journaled at its opposite ends in fixed bracket lugs 39and 40, which are mounted on the corresponding side members 19, 20, ofthe frame.

A transverse shaft 41 serves for turning both of the screw threadedshafts 36, 37, when an adjustment of the two intermediate members 24,25, of the frame 18 is to be made. The shaft 41 preferably extends overthe end member 22 from endto end, and is journaled in bracket lugs 42and 43, which are mounted on the adjacent ends of the side members 19and 20, respectively. Operative connection between the shaft 41 and thescrew-threaded shafts 36 and 37 is accomplished by the use of two pairsof bevelgears 44, 45, one gear, as 44, of each pair being mounted on theshaft 41 and the other gear, as 45, of each pair being mounted on one ofthe shafts 36, 37.

An upright crank shaft 46, located at one corner of the frame 18, may beused for turning the shaft 41. As shown, the crank shaft is journaled inthe side member 22 of the frame, and in an inverted U-shaped bracket 47which has its ends rigidly connected with the adjacent parts: of theframe.

A pair of bevel-gears, 48, 49, one mounted on the crank shaft 46 and theother on the adjacent end of the shaft 41, rotatively connect the crankshaft 46 with the shaft 41.

The adjustment of the intermediate frame member 23 toward and away fromthe side frame member 19, to accommodate sheets of printing paper ofdifferent widths between these parts, is permitted by providing theframe member 23 with apertured bracket lugs 50 and 51 adjacent itsopposite ends, which slide upon the shaft 41 and upon a guide rod 52,respectively. The guide rod' 52 extends over the end member 21 of theframe 18, and is supported at its opposite ends in bracket lugs 53 and54, which are mounted on the side members 19 and 20, respectively.Thumbscrews 55, one of which is mounted in each of the bracket lugs 50and 51, for'engaging the shaft 41', or the guide rod 52, serve forholding the intermediate frame member 23 in adjusted position.

Prints with white margins are obtained if each of ,the four framemembers 19, 23,. 24 and 25is provided with an inwardly projecting flangestrip 56 at its lower edge. Preferably the flange strips are of suchthin sheet metal as to be readily flexible and to permit the printingpaper to make close contact with the film. The width of the white marginmay be varied if each flange strip 56 is adjustably secured to thecorresponding frame member 19, 23, 24 or 25, as by clamping screws 57.As shown, each clamping screw 57 extends through a clamping nut 58,through a slotted opening 59 in the corresponding frame member, as 23(Fig. 6), and has threaded engagement'with the underlying flange strip56.

In order that all of the flange strips 56 may make close contact withthe film, those flange strips 56 which are associated with thelongitudinal frame members 19 and 23 preferably extend under theunderlying transverse frame members 21, 22, 24 and 25. To preventbinding of the said transverse frame members between the longitudinalframe members 19, 23, and their flange strips 56, the correspondingclamping screws 57, are supplied with spacing washers. 60 (Fig. 6). iThe usual movable contact 61 is preferably employed for pressing theprinting paper upon the film. This contact may be carried by a swingingarm 62, which moves through a slotted opening 63 inthe table-top 11 andis operated. by a foot pedal 64, all in a well known manner. If thecontact 61 is of suflicient size to substantially cover the full openingbetween the rigidly connected side and end members 19, 20, 2-1; and- 22of. the frame 18, and the printing lamp 16 is only illuminated when thecontact is in.

closed position, as by the engagement of a stud 65, carried by theswinging arm- 62, with the projecting rear end portion of the switch arm17, there will be no objectionable illumination of. unused printingpaper or undeveloped prints heldupon the table top: 11. Ample pressureof the contact 61- uponthe printing paper is insured, notwithstandingthe interposition of the frame 18, if the con-. tact is shod with athick layer 66- of sponge rubber.

The film strip is conveniently entered betweenthe glass 13 and frame 18,from one end of the frame, and is shifted endfw-ise: under the frame,when prints are to-be made from different exposures, if the: frame-18-islifted, asby pressure of the left; foot uponthe forward end of the pedal26. The-right foot may then be usedv to depress th'e pedal; 64 foroperating the contact 61 and switch: arm- 17 WVhen: anexposure has:oncebeen correctly positioned under theframe 1.8, it is onlynecessary toplace the printing-paper inthe opening between theframe: members 19, 23,24and 25, to insure a-proper'registra.-. tion of the'paper with theexposure.. Variations in the sizes of. thepri-nts-which may be made arepermitted-up to the full range of movement of theadjustable frame:members 23, 24 and 25. Furthermore, the adjustment of these framemembers for changing from one size ofprint to another is readilyaccomplished. The shortening of the prints toacut out undesirable endportions of some particular exposure, as when consecutive exposures onthe same film strip have been overlapped, is instantly permitted byturning the crank shaft 46 to cause a relative approach of the framemembers 24, 25. The improved apparatus thereby greatly facilitates thecommercial production of prints from assorted sizes of roll films.

I claim as my invention 1. In a photographic printing machine, incombination, a table top having a transparent section, a movablepressure plate cooperating with the transparent section of the tabletop, a mask frame interposed between the transparent section of thetable top and the pressure plate and normally resting upon the tabletop, and means for lifting the mask frame when the pressure plate islifted.

2. In a photographic printing machine, in combination, a frame havingrigidly connected side and end members adapted to rest upon atransparent surface for holding a film in contact therewith, a pair ofintermediate transverse members and a single intermediate longitudinalmember crossing the frame opening and adjustably connected with the sideand end members of the frame, respectively, for cooperating with one ofthe side members of the frame for positioning a sheet of printing paperover a selected section of the film, and a thin strip of metaladjustably secured to each of the said intermediate members and the saidside member of the frame, the said thin strips of metal constitutingflanges of adjustable width projecting from the lower edges of the partsto which they are respectively secured into the opening provided for thesheet of printing paper.

3. In a photographic printing machine,

in combination, a frame havin rigidly connected sides, a set of relativey transverse guide strips crossing the frame opening, each of the saidguide strips having its ends adjustably secured to the adjacent sides ofthe frame, and a thin strip of metal adjustably secured against the sideof each of the guide strips and forming a mask flange of adjustableWidth projecting from one edge of the guide strip.

4. In a photographic printing machine, in combination, a horizontalframe having rigidly connected sides, a pair of relatively transverseflat guide strips crossing the frame opening at different levels, eachof the said guide strips having its ends adjustably secured to theadjacent sides of the frame for movement along the same, a thin maskflange projecting from one side of the lower guide strip at its loweredge, and a thin strip of metal secured against the under face of theupper guide strip at intervals and extending under the lower guide stripand projecting beyond the upper guide strip at one side of the same toform a mask flange which is in substantially the same plane with thefirst mentioned mask flange.

5. In a photographic printing machine, in combination, a table tophaving a transparent section, a movable pressure plate .00- operatingwith the transparent section of the table top, a mask frame interposedbetween the transparent section of the table top and the pressure plateand normally resting upon the table top, a pair of foot pedals,connection between one of the foot pedals and the pressure plate andconnection between the other foot pedal and the mask frame.

ALBERT F. MUELLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of ratentll Washington, D. O.

